Recording scale



Amigo M, w45., s. ToTH RECORDING `SCALE Filed Aug. 24, 1939 SheetSfSheet l mwa . ...m nwd.

Aug. 14,1945. s. TTH 2,382,752

' BECORDING SCALE Filed Aug; 24, 1939 4 sneetssneet 2 Aug, 145 E945] l s. TTH

I RECORDING SCALE Filed Aug. 24, 19:59 4 sheets-sheet 3 a' jig/o.J

Aug. 14, 1945. s. TQTH v 2,382,752

RECORDING SCALE Filed Aug. 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @HHWHH x 2a 252C '22 wen for q.9A/WOR T0 TH Patented Aug. 14, 1945 RECORDING SCALE Sandor .Ith, Budafok, ncarudapest, Hungary; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application August 24, 1939, Serial No. 291,698 In Hungary September 7, 1938 11 Claims.

- The invention relates to a devicefor determining the numerical value of a measurement, and more particularly to a measuring device for weighing scales; In this device, the measurement readings are'subdivid'ed according to orders of magnitude, e. g., units, tens, hundreds, etc., and are determined by means of mechanical feeler devices, which cooperate with stepped segments, hereafter termed leaflets, after the measuring instrument has adjusted itself into the position of equilibrium. For example, when the measuring instrumentis actuated, the stepped leaflets are caused to move-back, and forth past the mechanical feelers until the parts of the instrument are in equilibrium. 'Then the feelers are moved into engagement with the adjacent stepped leaflets to thereby determine the reading.

The device accordingto the invention is of much simpler construction as compared to known types of such devices, requires a substantially smaller amount of space, and is also substantially less expensive to manufacture than those heretofore known. Another advantage of the apparatus forming the subject of the invention also consistsin the'fact that those parts of the device which are connected with the measuring instrument are of small size and of very light weight, whereby the load on the instrument shaft is very substantially reduced. Another advantage may be recognized in the Ifact that provision has scales, is shown in a diagrammatical marmer, aithough it is obvious that this device can also be employed in connection with other measuring instruments. l

Fig. lrepresents a portion ofthe feeler disc in side elevation;

Fig. 1A is'a diagrammaticl View of the entire disc and an associated feeler;

Fig. 2 shows a stepped leafletand aflixing the same to the feeler disc;

Fig. 3 shows a leaiiet and another method of alxing the same to theffeeler disc; f 1

Fig. 4 is a View illustrating a yielding connection between the feeler disc and pointer shaft of the measuring instrument;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the feeler representing the lowest order of magnitude, e. g., units, and showing a portion of the cooperating leaiiets;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the correcting feeler and a portion of the cooperating disc leaflets;

Fig. 8 is an elevation o'f the feeler representing the next highest order of magnitude, e. g., tens;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the feeler representing the method oi the ,next highest order of magnitude, e. g., hunbeen made to prevent the possi-bility of any incorrect result being ascertained owing toany external influence being exercised on the device.

Owing to a yielding connection between the measuring'instrument and the member on which thel feelers are to be operated, any damage being suffered by the device or by the measuring instrumentowing to mishand-ling is excluded.

Further, according to the invention, the gures for` all. orders of magnitude are determined from the Ysame edgeof the leafleton which the feelers areto'be operated, -which circumstanceenables thedeviceto be constructed so as tofbe of great simplicity, while at the same time accuracy can evenbe increased, as the precise adjustment of a single lealiet` edge-will assure accuracy for all ordersof magnitude. A

' Owing .toits small4 requirements of spacathe device can be mounted onfthe scaleside of the head` of weighing scales, while at the same time this arrangement. does not prevent indication by means vof a pointer.

On the accompanying drawings, an embodiment shown by way of example of the 'device according `to'the invention, as applied to weighing dreds;

Fig. 10 is an elevation, with certain portions thereof shown in section, of the feeler andprinting device;

Fig. 10A is an enlarged detail sectional view of y a lower portion of Fig. 10;

Fig. 11 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line I I-I l in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail View illustrating the pendulum connection between the feeler actuating arms and the'preliminary feelers;

Fig. 13 is a` sectional view taken along line I3I3in Fig. 10; f

Fig. 14 is a vsectional view illustrating the mounting of the device on the head of a weighing. scales;

Fig. 15 is anl exploded isometric view showing the coaction between the feelers and stepped leafiets;

Fig. 16 is a face View of each of the leaflets employed.

Figs. 1, 1A, 2 andv show a disc l flexibly connected with the shaftof the weighing scales, said disc having small leaflets 2 inserted therein. In order to reduce the load on the instrument shaft and/or the gyratory moment of the moved parts, the disc l is preferably made of light metal, whereas the members carrying the set of steps, e. g., the leaets 2, are made of resisting material,

i. e., of steel. As appears from the drawing, the periphery of this disc I is divided into a certain number of equal divisions and slotted in radial directions. Into each radial slot, there is inserted a thin leaflet 2, preferably made of spring steel, and fastened into position. Each of these leaflets are notched as at 3, thus forming legs 4 (Fig. 3) and when the leaflets are inserted into the slots of the disc I, the legs 4 will project inwardly in radial directions from the slots, and on opposed sides of the disc, so as to prevent any possibility of their becoming shifted in an axial direction. In order to fasten the leaflet 2 in position, as shown on Fig. 2, a hole 5 is provided Within the range of the periphery of the disc I. After inserting the leaflets, the adjacent material of the disc I is pushed into hole 5 by means of a pointed caulking tool and thereby the leaflets are secured against any displacement in a radial direction.

In the case of the arrangement shown in front elevation, plan view and side elevation in Fig.3, two flaps 3 are cut out from leaflets 2 in the vicinity of the periphery of the disc I, which flaps are, after the leaflets have been inserted into the slots of the disc, bent from the position shown in full lines, into the dotted line position, e. g., to engage grooves in the disc. i

Figs. 4 and 5 represent an elastically yielding coupling between the disc I and a shaft 8 actuated by the weighing scales, which coupling enables the shaft to continue its deflection, while the disc I is held fast. To the end of the shaft 8 is fixed a sleeve I0 and an associated discl II. On this sleeve, a hub I2 of a casing I3 is rotatably supported, said casing having feeler disc I secured thereto. A collar I5 secures the disc I, casing I3, and the hub I2 against any axial displacement away from disc I I. Hub I2 is loosely mounted on sleeve I0. From the disc II, there projects a pin I6, while from the casing I3 and disc I, there projects a pin I1. Impact plates I8 and I9 are supported in a. rotatable manner on the hub I2 of the casing I3, said plates having outstanding legs which engage opposite sides of the pins. A spiral spring 20 normally urges the outstanding legs of the two impact plates against the pins IS and I1, and a sleeve I4 prevents axial displacement of the impact plates I8, I9.

In case the shaft 8 is rotated, this motion is transmitted by means of disc II, pin I 6, plate I8, spring 20, plate I9 and pin I1 to the disc I and the latter is thereby rotated. If the disc I is held fast during the rotation of shaft 8, the spring 20 will be compressed, and owing to the special construction of the spring, the shaft may rotate through an angle of approximately 270 relative to the disc before stopping. If the disc I is released again, the spring 2li will again return exactly to its normal position relative to the shaft 3 and the disc I. The pins I6 and I1 are held securely in their position of rest by the tension of the spring. It is thus seen that considerable flexibility is present in the driving connection between shaft 8 and disc I.

In the following, we shall, by way of example, describe the feeler devicefor a weighing scales having a weighing range of 2,000 kg. and an accuracy of indication of 1/1,000th of the maximum load.` In this case, the external edges of the leaflets 2 ln the feeler disc I are spaced from each other at a peripheral distance of 50 units of indication to form a division. Since each unit represents two kg., each division between the leaflets will represent 50 times two, or 100 kg. In

, the zero and the maximum value will not be utilized to represent units of indication. The leaflets 2 separated by the 21st division will correspond to the zero value and to the maximum value, respectively. The above-mentioned twenty-one leaflets 2 are differently notched, and are therefore designated by the letters a through u.

In Fig. 16, the face views of these leaflets are shown. Figs. 6-9 represent the feelers for the feeler device disclosed. In the case of an accuracy of 1/l,000th of the maximum load, 0 or 10, 2, 4, 6, 8, kg. should be indicated in the lowest order of magnitude. For each order of magnitudes', e. g., units, tens, hundreds, etc., one feeler should be provided. The feelers for the various orders of magnitude are T-shaped and have substantially the same general dimensions, said feelers having toothed racks 23 on the legs thereof to enable them to be driven. In the upper edge of the feeler 22 for units (Fig. 6), ten teeth 24 are provided alongside each other and each tooth has five steps therein. Each step corresponds to one unit, i. e., two kg. of indication for figures repeating themselves, there being a total of five times two, or ten kg., represented by the horizontal width of each tooth. For example, the live steps in each tooth successively represent ,0 or 10, 2, 4, 6 and 8 kg., so that fifty units in all are marked on the ten teeth in the upper edge of the feeler. Thus, it is seen that the width of feeler 22 represents the same number of units as the center to center distance betwen leaets 2 on the disc I; consequently, the width of feelers 22 must be equal to the center to center distance between adjacent leaflets 2.

Fig. '1 represents a correcting feeler 21, the width of which is exactly theI same as that of the other feelers, and which carries on its upper edge a pointed tooth system 26 comprising fifty teeth. Its leg is of greater length than that of the other feelers, the purpose of this arrangement being explained further below. In the leg of this feeler, an oblong hole 28 is provided into which a peg 29 projects from the adjacent feeler 22 for units.

Fig. 8 represents the feeler 30 for tens which on its upper edge has ten steps 3| which are preferably arranged in a direction opposite to that of the steps in the feeler for single figures (Fig. 15).

Fig. 9 represents a feeler 32, the upper edge of which is, in contradiction to those mentioned before, made straight-lined. Such a feeler is employed for the orders of magnitude of hundreds, as well as for those of thousands.

These feelers are for the purpose of establishing a figure corresponding to the weight of the article or substance being weighed. When establishlng this figure, the feelers cooperate with the leaflets 2 of the disc I, said feelers being mounted one beside the other in a common casing 33 in such a manner that their lateral and front surfaces are situated exactly in the same planes (Fig. 10). At the same time, the feelers are arranged parallel to each other in the casing and can be driven independently of each other by means of their tooth systems 23 and by corredescribed, rthat is to say, `twenty-.one parts.

,spondinggear wheelsrll. The `.upperfedgesl.of.the rieelers are .arranged .in:.a-radial position relative tolthe axiseofzrotation. of :disc [and VYtheplane of .eachfeeler isv disposed Substantially at :right angles tottheaplaneof theengagingpleaiiets".2 (Figs. .1A, 4:10 land. 510A). The feelersare :moved `Vduring the process of their operation towards :the .disc e., towards 'the leaflets :2. `-Owing ato the .arrangement Adescribed of lthe fee1e-rseachffeeler y"21, 1.22, and 32 will :makeqimpactagainstthe same 1eaet2 duringv'operation. In the .limit- -.,ing, casein which :the centre .linesof two ladj acent ileaets :2 yare situated exactly y'opposite lateral :edges .sof ithe ffeelers pas shown in Figs. -'6 V,and 7, `.the feelers will move againstathei same two leaflets .ibut 'in such a case the correcting .feelery211 will slightly :rotate disc rl @until :onlyone :leailet en- ,gagesfthe feelers.

The correcting feelerl '21 is of ,arslightlygreater `length than fthefothers. In ,the .position of rest,

feeler-,21.islguided'bythe peg 29 extending from the-feeler :252, representing units. Under 4lthe ac- .tion'of the spring34 `(Eig. 110) xengaging A,directly `thefhottomedgeof feeler 21,'the feeler 21 is'supported on `the ylower Aedge of the oblong -hole .28, -insuch a position that thetooth system offeeler -21 will `project above the plane of the other '.feelers. Inr consequence thereof, `when the Afeelers are operated, it is .ilrst the `correcting lfeeler 21 .which will-come intocontact with a leailetZ and will bring Athe disc l into vsuchya position 4as to ensurethat arleafletZ VAsl'iouldalwziys make impact ferencesinthe results. In other words, with the against themiddle Yportion of -a step ofthefunit feeler 22. The units feeler 22 and-,the tens yfeeler 30 cooperatevwith the upper .edgesflaf of all lea-ilets ,2 A.said Ledges y2a [being situated at :.-thel same ,radial `distance ffromshaft 8. and, in consequence thereof, theadjustment of the lfigures vascertained by .means of the -feelers intheseorders of :magnitude -willybefeiected in accordance .withthe necessary movement of avfeeler until a'step makes impact yagainst a. leallet 2. ;No steps areprovided on the feelers 32.for hundredsand thousands; however, *the leaflets V2, which cooperate `with these feelers 3,2, are ttedwith steps :2b .and,2c.

In view of the fact that the distance between two ,adjacent leaflets .2l corresponds to'fty units ,of.indication, corresponding ,to 1,00 kg.,;eac'h.leaf

klet will be .notched at the place `2b cooperating .with the @hundreds feelers f(-Fig. 16), soas to'be .orgreater depth, corresponding toone step depth of preceding leaflets, vfrom -0 to9 =in succession.

Accordingly, .this stepping of lthe leaflets yis re- -peatedtwice -along the whole periphery. ".For'example, the notches `2b `(Fig. 16) progressively .in- .creasein depths from leaflets@ vthrough-:Land

-`through 1' `(Fig. 16) remain Vmaintained .in Ithe original ,height at edge 2c, the `next/ten, 'kthrough t will be made lower `byone step alongedge 2c y,and vthe twenty-,first one, i. e.,- u, -,will be vmade lower by two stepsalonggthe edge 2c.

In the `case .of the .type vof -construction Adescribed, ,the periphery of-,the feeler disc has been divided into twenty `spaces representing units fof indication plus .an additional space vheretofore YIt would,=however, also bepossible --to .divide the periphery into ten parts. Ihedivision #into ten Parts would .apparently havethe yadvantage that `sion wheel .39.

1:49 of the arml. va pin 52 yis .provided upon' which one legof a bell crank lever z54 rests under the tension of fthe spring :53.

lleafletsspaced" apart, it would accordingly no longer be possible to make the top surfaces of the feelers straightlined. Instead, the top surfaces `would have tobe'made arcuate and at the same time the various steps would have to be made of .differentwidth Moreover, the mass of the feelers -andsconsequently thernoment of acceleration duringtheir rapid movement would affect the operation to a greater extent.

Figs. 10 kand 11 represent the kwhole feelerand Acontrol device in front and side elevation. The

feelers are, as previously mentioned, located within a casing 33 fixed on the base plate 35. The

tooth portions ,23 of the various feelers engage :hasan arm 31 Xed thereon. On each shaft 36 a gear Wheel38 is loosely mounted, which ywheel drives the ligure roll v40 through the transmis- Each gear wheel l38 is provided with a pawl tooth system 4I which is :engaged loy a pawl 44 fixed on'the end of an arm'43, said arm being pivoted as at 42. This pawl reaches lover all thefour gear wheels y3ii, in such a manner that it'holdsfast all the four wheels when engagn ing the saine. One part of the periphery of the gear wheel 38 is cut away to provide a support for one end of a spiral spring 45, which spring has its other endsupported on the arm 31. This arm, under the vaction of the spring 45 is urged against a stop 46 of the adjacent gear wheel 38. These springs are shown` in Figs. A and 1l. On the solid vinternal shaft of the set of concentric shafts 36, there is loosely mounted .behind the arms 31 affurtherarm' which has an'axial eX- `tension '.48 vintegral therewith and projecting in front ofthe v'flour gear wheels 38. Each arm 31 iis subject'to the vforce of an, individual spring *50,

which'at one end engages a fixed stop 5l. while the-other end is hooked into an arm 31. The

`spring-.'50 normally tends to rotate the arms 31 in a counterclockwise direction in Fig, 11 and at ,the-same time force them against the extension On the lower end of the arm 48.

vThe other leg of lever 54 is en* gageable withacam 56 by means of a pin 55. saidcarn-being 'fixed on the shaft .51.' The shaft 151-carriessanother cam ,58, which cam ,isengaged by-a pin 59 ori-one of ythe legs of the bell `crank :levers-4,3.

In -a .plate [,66 -(Figs. l0 and :13), shaft 161 is supported, which shaft `carries upon one `end `thereof :afhandle 61a. rPhe other endof shaft li1-has anlarmf secured thereon. vOntheshaft 61, `a huh-69 is loosely-mounted, said hub having fan arm 1l) and va cam 1| .extending therefrom.

To a pin 10a of the arm 10, a spring 12 is secured, .which spring inthe case of the 'rotation of the The pin. 10a-cooperates vwith a `lug ka smaller number-ofleaets 2 would have zto be .accommodated on the feeler disc. Thedrawbacks the shaft 51. This lug has a tension spring 15 connected thereto. On the plate 66, a rod 62 is guided which at one end engages on the cam 1I and which with its other end cooperates with one arm 64 of the pressure hammer. 64 is held fast by a pawl 63 which is released by a nose of the arm 14.

In the plate 18, an arm 11 made of tough and thin material, is also pivoted. The free end of arm 11 carries a triangular plate 18, the width of which is greater than the distance between three adjacent leaflets 2 on the feeler disc I. A pin 19 extends from the right-hand face of plate 35 (Fig. l0), and on this pin a small light-weight pendulum 80 is mounted, the upper end of which` is slotted to match a similarly slotted circular counter-weight 8|. This counter-weight serves for balancing the lower longer part of the pendulum 88 which is fitted with a triangular aperture 82 (Fig. l2). In this aperture, there is arranged pin 49a projecting from the arm 49 in such a manner that in the position of rest of the pendu lum, the pin can be removed from the aperture 82.

The arm 11 passes through an aperture-11a of the base-plate 35 as well as through a slot 85 provided in a slide 84. This slide will, under the pressure of a compression spring 88, rest upon one end of a pivoted lever 81, the other end of which is maintained in engagement with a guided rod 88 by means of a spring 88. The spring 89 also presses the lower end of bar 88 on the cam 1 I.

The method of operation of the above-described apparatus is as follows:

As soon as the weighing scales has adjusted itself into the position of equilibrium, the handle 81a and the shaft 61 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 13). The arm 63 will immediately engage the arm 1U and will accordingly rotate the latter and the cam 1| in opposition to the tension of spring 12. During the rotation of the cam 1 I, the rod 62 is pressed down and thereby the arm 84 and the hammer 85 are rotated in opposition to a spring, such" as 64a, until the pawl 63 drops on the top of the arm 84 to hold the pawl in fixed position. After the shaft 61 has been rotated substantially 180,

the pin a will come into contact with the lugl In the case of a slight further initial position. The spring 12 is of such strength that during its release it is able to tension the spring 15 as well as all other springs of the apparatus. During this second period of rotation, the handle may be stopped. or it may be moved, but

it will not be possible to exert any influence on' the operation of the device. In other words, during driving by the crank, the operating energy is being stored and the operation of the device is not influenced. It is only upon the release of the spring 12 that the operation of the apparatusl is started. Such a construction serves the purpose of preventing any possibility of wilfully interrupting the process of feeler operation by holdlng the handle fast in an intermediate position in which the feelers are in Contact with the feeler disc.

During the release of the spring 12, the rod 88 is first lifted by means of the cam 1I and in consequence the slide 84 is let down by means During this motion of the slide The arm fix 84, the prefeeler 11, 18, previously lifted to a high level, descends until it comes into contact with the internal edge of the leaflets 2 in the disc I. Should the weighing scales be in a position of rest at this moment it will be possible for the further processes to take place undisturbed as follows:

Simultaneously with the movement of the preliminary feeler 11, 18, the shaft 51 is set into rotation by the cooperation of the lugs 18a and 13 to cause the spring 15 to be tensioned. At the beginning of the rotation of the shaft 51, the lever 43 and the pawl 44 will be lifted by cam 58 from the teeth 4I of ther gear wheels 38 against the tension of the spring 6I. At this time, clockwise rotation of wheels 38 (Fig. 11) through springs 45 will be preventedby projections 48 and arms 31. After a rotation of about 30 of the shaft 51 (Fig. 11) and after the preliminary feeler 11, 18 has made impact against the leaflets 2, the bell crank lever 54 will in accordance with the rotation of the cam 5B be rotated around the pivot 42 against the action of the spring 53, so as to enable the arm 48, 49 to be rotated under the pressure of the arms 31, which arms 31 are urged against arm 49 by springs 50. At the same time,

'the arms 31 are, on one hand, moving the ieelers 21, 22, 30 and 32 through'a 'connection comprising shafts 36 against the feeler disc leaflets 2, and on the other hand the number rolls .48 will be rotated by the gear wheels 38. The rotation of each arm 31 will be effected to such an extent 'leaflet in question in stationary position. It is only after the completion of this operation that the other feelers will come into contact with the leaflet.

After the :figure rolls 40 have been rotated in accordance with the feeler motions, the follower 59 will reach a recess on the cam58 and the pawl 44 will, under the ac tion of the pulling force of the corresponding spring 6I, catch into the tooth system 4l of the `four gear wheels 38 and will thereby bring lthe figures on the figure rolls 48 into the central lposition. Notably, it might otherwise happen, owing to the large ratio of transmission between a step height (about 0.3 to 0.4 mm.) and a gure size (3-4 mm.) that in the case of the smallest difference in theheight of the steps or of the leaflets the figures would not be in alignment. This correction is rendered possible by the connection between feeler and figure rolls established by theV springs 45. Since the adjusted feleler figure has been held fast, the pin 55 will drop from the high side of the cam 56 after a small further rotation of the shaft 51. Also, the arm 54 will be pulled down by the spring 53 against pin 52. `Upon the engagement of the pin, the feelers will be returned to initial position by means of members 48, 48, 36 and 31. As the gear wheels 38 are held fast by the pawl 44, this movement will cause the springs 45 to become tensioned. Simultaneously with the drawing-back of the feelers, the nose of the arm 54 will come into engagement with the upper end of pawl 53 to rotate the latter until said upper end jumps oi! from 1 the fnose. 'l 'During fthisf rotation the lower yend of` pawl 63 wi-il"release'- arm-64, and lthereby the hammer 6.5 will bereleasediiornpward move- Arriei'it under the 4effect of fa spring 64u. l

' E'l'.f, at the beginning of thefeeler operation, when the preliminary feeler 11,18 makes impact against Atheffeeler leailetslZ, `the latter are in motion, the

preliminaryfeeler will be oscillated bythe leaiiets Zand the larm 11 lof" the prelincinaryv feeler'will swingJ out the pendulum 80, so that when' operating the driving mechanismrthe pin-49a of 'thearm 4`8,-which drives-the feelers,will be unable to find its way" into thej's'lot of thejap'erture :82 in the loweraend of thependulu'm' (Fig. 12), and this arm will therefore be unable to lcontinue 4its movement.- The' feelerl operation `is accordingly prevented `andl therefore' the wheelsl will not -be rotated. "Thefrest ofv the' procedure can beperformed unhindere'd, only thefhammerfflid willengagethe -wheelsflllkl Obviously, the' wheels may be constructed-'toprint special symbolsgel g., crosses or the like, for indicating anv erroneous Operation. .l j

If the feeler disc` has been inl-a position of'rest at the beginning ofthe' feeler operation and if an impact takes :placefdur-ing the feeler operation, this 'will not iniiuenc'e'- the'result of feeler operation, as the correcting feeler 21 `will hold the feeler discfixed and the-impactwilllbe Aabsorbed exclusively by. the 'yielding coupling (Figs. 4 and 5) provided vbetweenv thev feeler disc l' and the' shaft of: the scales. l' i 1 *As appearsA from the foregoing description, the Whole process y'of feeler operation takes' place under theaction -of tensioned' springs in a perfectly automatic manner A'and within avery short time; for example, within a few tenths of a second; This `quickoperation is rendered possible by the fact that the mass of the parts moved during the operation of the feelers is extremely small and the paths covered are extremely short, so that the feelers can be operated rapidly, and can be stopped without any substantial shocks.

Up to now, all indicating and printing devices of this kind were mounted at the rear on the head of the weighing scales and in consequence thereof the simultaneous observation of the scale and the operation of the feeler device was hardly possible. The apparatus, according to the invention, only takes up a small amount of room so that it can be xed without any difficulties on the scale side of the head of the weighing scales. In Fig. 14, the assembly of the apparatus on the scale side of the head of a weighing scales is shown diagrammatically. On the front end of the pointer shaft 8, there is xed the feeler disc I according to the invention, which preferably also carries the pointer 9|. The pointer is constructed in such a manner that it is not hindered by the feeler device during this motion. It is not absolutely necessary that the pointer 9| should be iixed on the feeler disc. It may just as well be iix'ed on the pointer shaft 8 behind the ligure disc. It is only necessary that the pointer should not, during its rotation, collide against the feeler and indicating device, this being ensured by the bending shown on the drawings. The pointer 9| moves in front of the scale 92, fixed on a frame 93 of the casing 94. As a certain part remains free on the scale between the zero position and the maximum load, in the example described 1/1 part of the periphery, in front of which the pointer will never pass, it is possible to use this space for the suspension of the feeler and indicating device. At vthis place, a block 95 is xed on the frame 96, the front end of -saidblock supporting the base plate 35 of the whole device.' The! scale -is coveredA in the usual way by a glass plate 91 `whichvhas atl'its center a sufficiently large aperture for the feeler land indicating-device. Onthis base plate, the cover -98 is'iixed,A from which the handle projects and in which anopening ora slot is provided 'forithe cards to be inserted.4 i

-I claim: f

1. Inv an -article weighing instrument,l the combination of a toothed member moved by said instrument-anamount indirect proportion to the .weight of the -article, said teeth having variable lengths representing different numerical orders of magnitude, meansfor arresting saidv toothed memberinstationary positionI after itl has been moved by said instrument, means for sensing said arrested teeth,vmeans.controlled by sai-d sensing means for numerically determiningsaid weight, operating means `for said `sensing means, and 'means forv automatically preventing said numerical determination when said operating means is actuatedbefore themovement of said .toothed membenceases. 4

2. Inpan article Weighing instrument, ythecombination of a rotary disk driven by said instrument an amountin .direct proportion Ato Athe weight of: said article,` a .plurality of spaced members-carried by .said disk, .said membersrhaving variable lengths which represent diierentnumerical korders of magnitude,.a plurality of lfeelers for sensing one of said spaced members, means controlledvbysaid sensing meansf'for numerically determining said measurement,y operating. means ror .said sensing feelers, Aand meansA for automatically preventing. said numerical Adetermination when said operating 4meansy-isv actuated Vbefore the y movement ,oi` said vdisk andfspaced, members ceases.

3. In a measuring instrument having differential members moved thereby, means for selecting one of said members in accordance with the measure taken, said differential members representing different numerical orders of magnitude, a sensing means for engaging said selected differential member, means controlled by said sensing means for numerically determining said measurement, operating means for said sensing means, and means operated by said sensing operating means for stabilizing said differential members before said sensing means engages the selected diierential member.

4. In a measuring instrument having differential members moved thereby, means for selecting one of said members in accordance with the measure taken, said diierential members representing different numerical orders of magnitude, a plurality of differentially movable sensing feele'rs for engaging said selected differential member, means controlled by the movement of said feelers for numerically determining said measurement, means for actuating said feelers to cause the same to engage said selected differential member, and means operated by said feeler actuating means for stabilizing said differential members before said feelers move into engaging position.

5. In a measuring instrument having differential members moved thereby, means for selecting one of said members in accordance with the measure taken, said differential members representing diierent numerical orders of magnitude, a sensing means for engaging said selected differential member, means controlled by said sensing means for numerically determining said measurement, operating means for said sensing means, means operated by said sensing operating means for stabilizing said differential members' before said sensing means engages the selected differential member, and means for automatically preventing said numerical determination when said sensing means is operated before the differential members are stabilized.

6. In a measuring instrument having differentialvmembers moved thereby, means for selecting one of said members in accordance with the measure taken, said differential members representing different numerical orders of magnitude, a plurality of differentially movable sensing feelers for engaging said selected differential member, means controlled by the movement of said feelers for numerically determining said measurement, means for actuating said feelers to cause the same to engage said selected differential member, means operated by said feeler actuating means for stabilizing said differential members before said feelers move into engaging position, and means for automatically preventing said numerical determination when said feelers are actuated before the differential members are stabilized.

7. In a measuring instrument, the combination of differential members moved to and fro by said instrument in accordance with the measurement taken, said differential members representing different numerical orders of magnitude, a fexible driving connection between said differential members and said instrument, said driving connection being yielding in both directions, a sensing means for engaging one of said differential members, means controlled by said sensing means for numerically determining said measurement, and, means for automatically preventing said numerical determination when said sensing means en gages a differential member while the differential members are in motion.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which said differential members comprise a plurality of spaced notched plate members and said sensing means comprise a plurality of movable plates arranged for edgewise engagement substantially at right angles to said notched plates.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 7 in which said sensing means and the numerical determining means controlled thereby are actuated by the release of a tensioned spring, the spring being tensioned immediately preceding said sensing operation.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the operating means for said sensing means includes a rotatable shaft and a spring adapted to be tensioned thereby, said spring being coupled to said shaft during the first half of its rotation and automatically disconnected at the beginning of the second half.

11. In a measuring instrument having differential members moved thereby, means for selecting oneof said members in accordance with the measure taken, said differential members representing different numerical orders of magni tude, a plurality of differentially movable sensing feelers for engaging `said selected differential member, a number wheel rotated by each of said feelers an amount corresponding to the movement of the feelers, each wheel having a, plurality of equally spaced numbers on its periphery, and means for subsequently rotating all of said wheels to effect a corrective movement and aline the numbers on the respective wheels.

SNDOR. TTH. 

